Remotely Piloted Crustacean Fishing Vessel

ABSTRACT

An unmanned, remotely controlled modular vessel that is capable of deploying and retrieving a crustacean fishing cage or “pot.” A derrick structure is supported by two modular rigid pontoons and is interconnected to equipment deck plates that contain: a motor for propulsion, a winch for lowering and raising a cage suspended centrally from a pulley mounted underneath the top of the derrick, a receiver electronics module inside a waterproof enclosure, and a pair of rechargeable marine batteries. The derrick structure also provides elevated mounting points for a receiving antenna and a beacon light for use during night hours. The system is operated from the shoreline by the user, who manipulates the controls on a wireless transmitter, triggering the various on-board functions necessary to fulfill the intended mission: to catch and deliver fresh crustaceans to the user.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to unmanned, remotely-controlled, portable fishing watercraft and more particularly to remotely effect crustacean fishing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART

Crustacean fishing cages or “pots” have been traditionally deployed by lowering and retrieving the pots manually using piloted and more expensive watercraft. Related prior art devices are limited to inventions remotely deploying and controlling fishing line and hooks which are not suited for crustacean fishing.

Because the use of manned craft for the placement of fishing pots requires the launching and maintenance of what can be very expensive watercraft, including the safety concerns which arise when users are required to deploy and retrieve fishing pots at sea, the present invention alleviates these problems. Further, an unmanned crustacean fishing vessel eliminates the safety concerns which arise when fishing pots have been deployed and need to be retrieved from inclement weather conditions. In addition, remotely controlled crustacean fishing vessels, when outfitted with warning lights, are more suited to prevent accidents involving other sea-going vessels than traditional means. Traditionally, the entire activity of deploying and retrieving common crustacean fishing pots could be considered somewhat hazardous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a remotely piloted crustacean fishing vessel. A series of interconnected members form a derrick structure that is supported by buoyant floats. The size and relationship of key angles and other dimensions of the interconnected members provide a structure capable of supporting the weight of crustacean fishing cages or “pots”, plus the contents, or “catch”. The derrick structure is normally fabricated from extruded aluminum tubing. A powder coat finish is added to the tubing and other aluminum components to protect from oxidation when used in salt water.

The electrical equipment items included on the vessel are controlled remotely by the operator, who is positioned on the shoreline or dock area. The operator holds a hand held transmitter that provides remote actuation of equipment on the vessel. The equipment on the vessel will typically include an electric winch having deploy and retrieve functions. An electric motor provides both propulsion and another electric motor allows for changing the direction of travel. An electric beacon light provides visibility of the unit during night time hours.

Prior art in remotely piloted fishing vessels describes boats that will transport a fishing line and lure away from the shore line out to deeper water. The present invention is geared towards remotely piloting a vessel that carries a crab pot, lobster pot, shrimp pot, a net, or other types of fishing equipment. When the vessel has reached the intended fishing spot, which will be in a bay area protected from large swells, the operator on the shoreline or dock can then remotely lower the fishing equipment into the water, which, in most applications, serves to also anchor the craft at that location. After a length of time, the fishing equipment can be retrieved via a remotely operated winch, and the vessel remotely piloted back to the shoreline or dock area, where the catch can be unloaded. This all takes place generally within 1,000 feet, within line-of-sight, of the shoreline or dock. The vessel is equipped with a beacon light, as it will typically be in the deployed location continuously for 24 to 72 hours. This product will appeal to consumers that have shoreline access, but do not wish to use, or do not have access to, a piloted and often very expensive powerboat to deploy and retrieve their fishing equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the derrick structure and its main components.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the total vessel, including the derrick, the pontoons, and the electromechanical and electronic equipment.

The components of the invention are labeled in FIGS. 1 and/or 2, as follows:

-   -   Flat tubular horizontal side frame sections, right hand and left         hand (1A and 1B), that seat onto top side channels and side         cutouts of the two pontoons (2A and 2B). The channels and side         cutouts allow adjusting the longitudinal positioning of the         overall derrick structure on the pontoons to balance the weight         fore to aft, and allow the boat to ride level in the water. The         structure to allow this adjustability is currently protected         under U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,986 for which the writer is listed as         a patent holder.     -   Two horizontal equipment decks (3A and 3B) are secured to the         inboard ends of the side frame sections (1A and 1B). These deck         sections provide mounting locations for various pieces of         equipment, to be described later. The mounting locations are         comprised of flat aluminum plates, plus trays that are         fabricated from 2″ by 2″ aluminum angle.     -   Four “L” shaped tubes (4A, 4B, 4C and 4D) connect at the deck         level to the outboard ends of the side frame sections (1A and         1B), and at an elevated level, to an “x” top connector assembly         (5A and 5B).     -   The “x” top connector assembly (5A and 5B) is held together at         the intersection point by an eyebolt (6) that doubles to suspend         a pulley (7) over the open center portion of the craft.

The individual pieces of electromechanical equipment mounted on the end deck sections (3A and 3B) are available commercially and individually are not part of this application. However, the manner in which the equipment is interconnected mechanically, electronically, and electrically is unique, and comprises a key portion of this application.

-   -   An electric propulsion motor and propeller (8A), steering motor         housing (8B), and a motor control head (8C) are interconnected         by a vertical steering shaft (8D). The steering motor housing         (8B) is mounted at the outboard center of one of the horizontal         equipment decks (3A).     -   Two battery boxes (9A and 9B) contain gel-type marine batteries         that are connected electrically in parallel. The battery boxes         (9A and 9B) are secured to the aluminum trays located at         opposite corners of the horizontal equipment decks (3A and 3B)     -   An electric winch (10) is mounted at the outboard center of the         horizontal equipment deck (3B) directly opposite from the         steering motor housing (8B).     -   A receiving antenna (11) mounts to a ground plane plate (14)         located on the derrick top connector assembly (5A and 5B).     -   A waterproof enclosure (12) mounts on the same mounting plate as         the winch (10), but on the side opposite from the battery box         (9B) and houses a receiver circuit board, relays, a master         on/off switch, and circuit breakers for the winch (10) and for         the propulsion motor (8A). Wiring exiting or entering the         enclosure is through watertight grommets.     -   A beacon lamp (13) is mounted on top of the ground plane plate         (14) and is automatically illuminated after sunset and turned         off at sunrise by an integral sunlight sensor. FIG. 1

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The center open section of the craft (as configured for crab fishing purposes) measures approximately 36″ by 36″ horizontally, and allows for lowering and raising a flat cylindrical-shaped crab pot (not pictured) that typically measures horizontally 30″ in diameter and 11″ in vertical height. A rope harness (not pictured) will lift and support the crab pot in a level horizontal orientation. At the fully retrieved height, the midpoint of the 11″ height of the crab pot will be even with the horizontal equipment decks and the side frame sections, preventing the pot from swinging on top of and perhaps damaging the electromechanical equipment.

A hand held transmitter (not pictured) provides the operator the ability to remotely control a number of on-board functions. These control functions are activated by the operator pushing one or more buttons on the transmitter. These buttons on the current configuration include:

-   -   Button #1: Propulsion motor “on”     -   Button #2: Blank—unused     -   Button #3: Winch retrieve     -   Button #4: Winch release     -   Button #5: Turn left     -   Button #6: Turn right     -   Button #7: Propulsion speed “slow” (approximately 50% of full         throttle)     -   Button #8: Propulsion speed “fast” (100% of full throttle)

There are many alternative ways that the remotely piloted fishing vehicle can be constructed, for cost efficiency and to accommodate different fishing equipment cargoes or pieces of equipment. The size and shape of the derrick and of the pontoons could be modified to fit different equipment sizes or heavier articles, perhaps in excess of the 45 pound maximum cargo weight limit of the current configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as described above. A wireless video camera system could be installed on the craft, for close up monitoring of the fishing operations by the operator that is remotely controlling those functions from the shoreline or dock. A GPS navigation system can be added to the propulsion and steering systems in order to automatically guide to craft to a preferred fishing spot, and then later deliver the craft back to the operator at the origination point. A solar battery recharging panel could also be fitted to the derrick structure to extend the mission time, or to recharge the batteries between missions. Another feature could include a whisker switch to sense full-retrieval of the crustacean fishing pot which in turn lights an indicator light on the transmitter signaling that the user should discontinue the retrieval function.

CITATION LIST

7,587,986 Sept. 15, 2009 Neidert et al. 2010/0319235 Dec. 23, 2010 Panaro 2014/0090288 Apr. 3, 2014 Freeman 

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. A modular crustacean fishing system comprising: first and second rigid pontoons, each having non-directional end sections and an integrally-formed pontoon connection interface located off-center at opposing, unequal distances relative to a midpoint of said pontoon; a derrick having a plurality of integrally-formed connections interfacing with said pontoon interfaces of said first and second pontoons to provide multiple connection configurations; and a trim adjustment system comprising said rigid pontoons, each being individually and selectively reversible front to back as coupled to said derrick, and said derrick having a centerline positioned for fastening a pulley in one of a plurality of available positions relative to said midpoint of said pontoons, wherein said first and second pontoons and said derrick directly interconnect in one of said plurality of connection configurations to form said modular crustacean fishing system and to provide a plurality of selectable trim adjustment settings.
 2. The modular crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein said derrick comprises: a pulley having an additional integrally-formed connection interface, and a detachable crustacean fishing cage or pot.
 3. The modular crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein said system is open at the deck under and through which the said cage or pot and may be lowered below the surface of the water during normal operation of said crustacean fishing system.
 4. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a receiver by which the user may remotely control the functions of the system.
 5. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a beacon lamp or lamps to indicate the location and/ or status of the system.
 6. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a winch to lower and hoist said crustacean fishing pots.
 7. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a propulsion system that can be activated and steered by said remote control.
 8. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein system includes rechargeable marine batteries to power the various components of the system.
 9. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a hand-held transmitter to remotely operate the functions of the system.
 10. The crustacean fishing system derrick of claim 2, further comprising a tubular structure capable of supporting weight in excess of the crustacean fishing pots.
 11. The crustacean fishing system derrick of claim 2, wherein said tubular structure is constructed of tubular extruded material such as aluminum and held together with a top-mounted cross-member which supports the pulley and crustacean fishing pot.
 12. The crustacean fishing system derrick of claim 2, wherein said support members tie into the equipment deck with 120 degree bends in said tubing.
 13. The crustacean fishing system derrick of claim 2, wherein said derrick is comprised of small sections connected by stainless steel locking pins for ease of assembly.
 14. The crustacean fishing system derrick of claim 13, wherein said sections are comprised of small sections more easily reduced for ease of shipping of the system prior to assembly for use.
 15. The crustacean fishing system of claim 1, wherein the movement said system allows movement fore/aft of said derrick allows for said trim adjustment to compensate for the various weights and sizes variations of batteries or other electromechanical equipment. 